Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and Presidential Aide Andrei Fursenko held a meeting of the Council for the implementation of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Genetic Technologies for 2019-2027. At the meeting, the annual report on the implementation of the program was considered, as well as the reports of world-class genomic research centers for 2020 were heard.
Since 2019, within the framework of the program, three world-class centers for genomic research have been created and operate. The program defines four areas: biosafety and technological independence; genetic technologies for the development of agriculture and industry; genetic technologies for medicine; genetic technologies for microbiology.
According to Tatyana Golikova, in 2020 the total amount of financial support in accordance with the program implementation plan for a three-year period amounted to 11,6 billion rubles, of which 432 million are extra-budgetary funds. In 2021, it is planned to allocate more than 11 billion rubles for the financial support of the program, and about 734 million rubles will be attracted by the centers in addition.
Tatyana Golikova noted the key results that were obtained in 2020 and which are especially important for subsequent implementation in practical life.
Thus, in the direction of "Genetic technologies for the development of agriculture", a large-scale project is being implemented to create digital passports for about 1,5 thousand types of microorganisms, various varieties of agricultural plants, such as wheat, barley, grapes, peaches, figs, and animal breeds.
With the help of genetic technologies, 16 lines of plants and animals were created, including aquaculture.
The Kurchatov Genomic Center has created wheat with a shortened earing period and potatoes, which do not accumulate sugar in the cold. For the first time in Russia, the lines were created using new technological principles, which reduced the time of their creation from approximately 4–6 years to 1 year. “It is important that these technologies are already being introduced by agricultural holdings and farms,” she said.
In conclusion, Tatyana Golikova emphasized the significant potential of the program and stated that the support measures that are necessary for the results of the program to be in demand by all our not only scientific, but also medical institutions will be worked out and decisions will be made at the government level.